Toyota continues to dominate early in the race with both TS050 Hybrids in the lead. Rebellion Racing and the other non-hybrid LMP1 teams are finding it difficult to keep up, but the race has just started.
Two hours in, Toyota holds the top two spots and continues its efforts to conquer the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The gap increased, reaching three minutes, with the first non-hybrid, the Rebellion R13-Gibson driven by Thomas Laurent. At the wheel from the start, Laurent got over on Stéphane Sarrazin (#17 BR Engineeering BR1-AER) thanks to traffic.
Delayed after a collision in the first turn, André Lotterer (#1 Rebellion R13-Gibson) caught up to the other leading LMP1s to reach sixth position. He set about doing fast lap after fast lap, as did young French driver Thomas Laurent. The Swiss team's two cars are the fastest on the track among the non-hybrid LMP1s.
Jean-Philippe BOYER (ACO)
G-Drive Racing is still in control of the LMP2 class with Jean-Eric Vergne at the wheel, ahead of Loïc Duval (TDS Racing's ORECA 07-Gibson) and André Negrao (#36 Alpine A470-Gibson). Jean-Eric Vergne and Loïc Duval are currently doing a quadruple stint just like the LMP1 drivers!
Nathanaël Berthon (DragonSpeed's #31 OREVA 07-Gibson) lost a wheel at the Indianapolis Corner. His teammate Roberto Gonzalez took the wheel and is now separated from the LMP2 field.
Things are shaking up already in LMGTE Pro! The gaps are widening, but 17 cars in the class are still within the same lap, with the top 10 in less than 30 seconds. Porsche is still leading with the #92 911 RSR "Pink Pig" now driven by Laurens Vanthoor (after Kévin Estre took the start).
But the #68 Ford GT is wedged between the #92 Porsche 911 RSR and its #91 sister car. At the wheel of the Ford is Sébastien Bourdais, winner in 2016 intent on staying with the German cars, but it won't be easy.
At the Arnage Corner, Martin Tomczyk (#81 BMW M8 GTE) made contact with Ryan Briscoe's #69 Ford GT. An impressive fight is going down between Antonio Garcia (#63 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R) and Andy Priaulx (#67 Ford GT), the British driver coming up on the Corvette with authority in the Mulsanne Straight.
The #51 Ferrari 488 EVO suffered a flat tire before the second chicane at the Mulsanne Straight. James Calado returned the car at slow speed, and now the Italian car is in 50th position in the LMGTE Am group. A first hiccup for Ferrari, but 22 hours remain in the race.
Jean-Philippe BOYER (ACO)
The #86 Porsche 911 RSR fielded by Gulf Racing had an incident at the Indianapolis Corner after Ben Barker completed two excellent stints in the lead of the LMGTE AM class and gave the wheel to Michael Wainwright. Now the Spirit of Race team's #54 Ferrari 488 GTE is leading.
Dempsey-Proton Racing's #77 Porsche 911 RSR is in second position with young driver Julien Andlauer at the wheel as a rookie.
The top 3 in each class after Hour 2
LMP1
1. #7 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing
2. #8 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing
3. #3 Rebellion Racing
LMP2
1. #26 G-Drive Racing
2. #28 TDS Racing
3. #36 Signatech Alpine Matmut
LMGTE Pro
1. #92 Porsche GT Team
2. #91 Porsche GT Team
3. #68 Ford Ganassi Team USA
LMGTE Am
1. #54 Spirit of Race
2. #84 JMW Motorsport
3. #77 Dempsey-Proton Racing